April/May 2018 65
Two of the most common fallacies are that rosé is a summer drink,
and that California wines are all fruity.
It’s a misconception that rosé is only for hot weather, Paul
Mekis points out. “I think rosé is just as great during the winter
by a fire having salmon with lentils.” Another mistaken notion,
he says, is that American chardonnays and pinot noirs are always
fruitier and higher alcohol than Old World wines. “That is not
always true. There are many wineries in California picking earlier,
with less manipulation, whereas I’ve seen many wines from Europe
with a lot riper fruits compared to the past.”
Yet another popular myth centers around wine and fish. “A
common pairing misconception is that fish only goes well with
white wines; this is a big generalization,” cautions Pablo Antinao.
“Certainly you can find some mild, soft tannins and highly acidic
red wines that you can pair fish with, for example: Beaujolais
Nouveau, a lighter pinot noir and Vino Pipeño.”
Conversely, Andrew Green points out, “Red wine does go with
fish. Most people do not realize that you pair to the sauce, not the
protein, so a light- bodied red is frequently quite nice with fish.”
Ultimately, Dennis Kelly suggests a practical approach. “When
Paul Mekis, Madera at Rosewood Sand Hill Resort